Beijing – A team of Chinese virologists has discovered a new bat coronavirus that poses a potential risk of animal-to-human transmission, as it utilizes the same human receptor as the virus responsible for COVID-19, according to media reports.
The study, led by Shi Zhengli, a prominent virologist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), was published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell. Shi, often referred to as “Bat Woman” for her extensive research on bat-borne viruses, has consistently denied allegations that COVID-19 originated from the Wuhan lab. The Chinese government has also refuted claims that the virus was leaked from the facility.
The newly identified virus belongs to a distinct lineage of the HKU5 coronavirus, which was first detected in the Japanese pipistrelle bat in Hong Kong. This virus is part of the Merbecovirus subgenus, which also includes the pathogen responsible for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), according to a report by the South China Morning Post.
The research revealed that the virus can bind to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, the same entry point used by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“We report the discovery and isolation of a distinct lineage (lineage 2) of HKU5-CoV, which can utilize not only bat ACE2 but also human ACE2 and various mammalian ACE2 orthologs,” Shi’s team stated in the study. The researchers found that when the virus was isolated from bat samples, it was capable of infecting human cells as well as artificially cultivated tissue resembling miniature respiratory and intestinal organs.
Earlier this month, China reiterated that the Wuhan bio-lab had never conducted gain-of-function research on coronaviruses, rejecting allegations that the facility played a role in the emergence of COVID-19. Gain-of-function research involves genetically modifying organisms to enhance certain biological traits, including transmissibility and virulence.
“Never has it designed, manufactured, or leaked COVID-19,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo said at a media briefing on February 12. “China firmly opposes all forms of political manipulation regarding virus origin-tracing.”
Recent American media reports have alleged that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, potentially contributing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The claims suggest that U.S. taxpayer funds were used to support studies that may have inadvertently led to the outbreak, which has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide.
During former President Donald Trump’s administration, USAID projects deemed misaligned with American strategic interests or financially wasteful were discontinued. The Wuhan bio-lab remained under intense scrutiny, particularly during Trump’s presidency.
Guo referenced a joint study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Chinese experts, which concluded that it was “extremely unlikely” that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory leak. The assessment was based on field visits to the Wuhan lab and extensive discussions with researchers.
The latest discovery underscores the ongoing need for global vigilance in monitoring emerging coronaviruses, as scientists continue to study their potential risks to human health.
